Wedding Dresses for Pear Shaped Brides

Today we’re starting a new series, looking at how to buy a wedding dress that suits your body shape. I’m always a bit dubious of body shape stuff (mostly because the things they say for mine are usually nonsense) and I do think that the best thing you can do is to try on lots of dresses and have a chat with the ladies who work at dress shops, because they really know their stuff. But with that said, I think it’s a good idea to have a starting point. You want to look your very best on your wedding day, and the good news is, whatever your shape, there’s a dress (or several) out there that will make you look like a superstar. It’s all about emphasizing your best features and playing a bit of visual trickery to draw the eye towards them. We’re starting today with pear or triangle shape brides – a really common shape, and one which is pretty much made for a wedding dress! And as long as you avoid the wrong type of dress, the answer is no, your bum won’t look big in this. ;)

Triangle shape ladies have small upper halves with slender arms, neat busts and well defined waist, with a sexy curve on the bottom. Now working that booty J-Lo style is awesome, but on your wedding day, you’re probably going to want to go for an elegant silhouette. That means an A-line or ballroom shape with a neckline and detailing that draws the eye to your slim top half. This gives the illusion that your whole body is as slender as your upper half. A defined waist also helps to balance out the look. Avoid sheath or fishtail dresses that will be cut too close and emphasize your bum and thighs. A high neck can also make you look disproportionate.

What that means? Well, you can rock a frothy Vera Wang, for one. (Jealous!) But you really have your pick of beautiful dresses. I’ve picked just a few from the Spring 2014 lines that were recently unveiled here, but you’ll find plenty of lower priced options from most designers as well.

CELEBRITY PEAR SHAPED BRIDES:

Katy Holmes and Colleen Rooney were two real brides who knew how to work their pear shapes. Colleen went for a full ballroom skirt and simple strapless top, while Katy used lace detailing to draw the eye up to her top half. But I think my favourite is still Kristin Davis in her Sex and the City wedding to first husband Trey – it’s a perfect example of how best to dress this shape.